Restaurant review: Sassy Spoon (Global eclectic)

It’s like a magnet. I refer to Nariman Point’s Express Towers. For the past twenty years, I have been going regularly for fabulous, memorable meals to my pal Ananya Goenka’s penthouse residence. Restaurant Vong Wong (Chinese and Thai) set-up in the same building, followed by the European-turned-party lounge DragonFly. And now, the Express Towers table is set with the brand new Sassy Spoon.

Amal Tudawe, Chairman of Sri Lanka’s oldest construction company, and Shyamalee, are a globe-trotting foodie couple. As are Madhoo and Anand Shah (her industrialist husband). This warm and vibrant zoology major, has acted in 53 films (half in Hindi) is excited about her forthcoming Telugu film premiere and her theatre debut.

DÉCOR When minimalism is the trend, Sassy Spoon is a thrilling blast from the past, a reminder of how wonderful it is to be in a sappily romantic atmosphere. Triple height ceiling, large gleaming mirrors, white table cloths and a wall inset with quaint trunks too. Eclectic music. Full marks for the décor. Now if only one didn’t have to walk into the corridor to get to the loo.

Also good are the brown rice paella, light emmental souffle, and mirin soaked beef. Innovative sandwiches (sorry, sassywiches!) Must-try the beer-cured ricotta with juicy roasted grapes on a raagi baguette. There is the wide-spectrum finale of Rachel Goenka’s desserts; the masterpiece of crust and contrast is the peanut tart (peanut brittle oozing caramel). Sassy stacks luscious red velvet and shot of cappuccino foam and the meltingly firm pannacotta delight.

MINUS POINTS Some of the dishes (especially the mains) disappoint. While the sauce (with coke the beverage) is creatively delicious, the spare ribs are stringy. Also stringy is the honey roasted duck breast. Thick-skinned ricotta ravioli, humdrum, oversauced chicken oversweet tiramisu and stodgy sugar-free sweet potato cake are the letdowns. As is the walk to the loo, outside the restaurant.

MY POINT Indigo set the trend of Global eclectic fare and (in the same vicinity) Table and Ellipsis followed. Sassy Spoon comes along as yet another “me too” in Nariman Point, but presents its fare in a refreshingly romantic ambience with friendly service. A meal here has peaks, but it has valleys too, as do the price points… average meal `2,000 per head and the substantial Sassywich at lunch (`295) is a yummy sassysteal.

Author

World Gourmand Award winner Rashmi Uday Singh is the author of India's first-ever city restaurant guide. Singh studied law and management, and worked as a deputy commissioner with the Indian Revenue Service, which she quit after 15 years to train with the BBC. Singh has written 22 books on food, night life and people. She hosts TV shows and writes columns for Bombay Times and Chennai Times. She promises this blog will be as much fun as eating out with her, at a range of exciting places in India and abroad.

World Gourmand Award winner Rashmi Uday Singh is the author of India's first-ever city restaurant guide. Singh studied law and management, and worked as a d. . .